Apparatus for constructing circular concrete silos or other buildings.



PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

A. E. HODGERT.

APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING CIRCULAR CONCRETE SILOS OR OTHER BUILDINGS.APPLICATION FILED MAY is. 1904 Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 793,194. PATENTED JUNE'27, 1905.

A. E. HODGERT.

APPARATUS FOR GONSTRUCTING CIRCULAR CONCRETE SILOS OR OTHER BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13,1904

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD E. HODGERl,-OF EXETER, CANADA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,194, dated June 27,1905.

Application filed May 13,1904. Serial No. 207,855-

To (all whmn it lay concern.-

Be it known that LARCHIBALI) E. Honennr, of the village of Exeter,county of Huron, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Apparatus for Constructing Circular ConcreteSilos or other Buildings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to devise means for molding circularconcrete walls in site; and it consists, essentially, of two hottomlessannular molds, each mold being formed of two independent bands of thinmetal, each band having its ends detachably connected to form a ring andthe bands being so constructed that either mold may be set on top of andengaged with the other, substantially as hereinafter more specificallydescribed and then definitely claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus in position foruse. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the sections of one of theouter bands. Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the sections of one ofthe inner bands. Fig. A is an enlarged sectional view showing theconnection between two of the sections of a band. Fig. 5 is a similarview showing how an upper and lower band are fitted together. Fig. 6 isa perspective detail of one of the levers used in connecting the ends ofthe outer bands. Fig. '7 is a plan view, on a small scale, of a woodencentering for the upper inner band of the mold.

1n the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin the different fig ures.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, A A are circular bands having theirends connected together, as hereinafter described, to form closed rings.B B are similar bands of less circum ference with their ends similarlyconnected to form rings. A band A, with one of the bands B, may thus beused to form an annular mold for use, as hereinafter described. Eachband A comprises a series of sections O, detachably connected together,each section being connected to two adjacent sections with the exceptionof those at the ends of the band, which are connected as hereinafterdescribed. It will be understood, of course, that the bands A areidentical in construction and that each section of each band is, withthe exceptions pointed out or to be pointed out, precisely similar tothe others. Each section O is provided at its upper edge with a steelstrip D, riveted to its upper edge and projecting a short distance abovethe upper edge of the section. It is also provided near the center ofeach end with short steel strips E, riveted at their inner ends to thesection, but free adjacent to the edges of the section.

\Vhen the sections are connected together, the edges, the strips 1), andthe strips E are interlocked, as shown in Fig. A, and securely fastenedtogether by bolts (1. A similar bolt connects the lower corners of thesections together, as shown in Fig. 1. As indicated in Fig. 1 slots areprovided for the bolts in one section and simply holes in the adjacentend of the next section. Thus the overlap of two adjacent sections atthe top of a band A may be increased or decreased relative to theoverlap at the bottom of the band, so that the circumference of theupper edge of a band may be made less than the circumference of thelower edge of the band, so that when the band is set up, as shown inFig. 1, it forms a portion of the surface of a cone.

As the bands are preferably formed of about 16 gage sheet-steel, I lindit desirable to provide clips I), fast to one end of each section andoverlapping the end of the adjoining section, as shown in Fig. 1.

The ends of each band A are connected when required by means of one ormore chains F, which are connected with eyes riveted to one end of theband. On the opposite end of the band I provide a similar number oflevers G, each of which is pivoted on a bracket (1, riveted to the endof the band. On each bracket is also pivoted a latch 11, which may beswung to engage the lever, as shown in Fig. 1, or disengaged therefrom,as shown in Fig. 6.

\Vhen connecting the ends of a band, a link of each chain is hooked ontothe hook c of its corresponding lover. The lever is then swung to theposition shown in Fig. 1 and the latch engaged with it. Thus the chainsare drawn upon to draw the ends of the hands together as desired.

Each inner band B is made up of. sections H, connected togethersimilarly to the sections C, with the exception that it is not necessaryto provide the slots at the ends of the sections, as the inside of thewall of the silo is usually made vertical. As the pressure on the innerbands is from the outside inward, I prefer to extend the steel strips Efrom end to end of each section for stiffening purposes. I also employ adifferent method of connecting the ends of the band. As will be seen,one or more latches I are pivoted on one end of the band and are adaptedto be swung into engagement with clips f on the other end of the band.The upper latch I is, however, notched, as shown, to engage one of theclips f and may be held in engagement with the clip by means of thepivoted latch g. The other end of the latch I is pivoted on the threadedspindle J, carried by two lugs it, suitably riveted to tlie band. Nuts iare secured on this spindle, one on each side of one of the lugs 71. Bymeans of these nuts the latch I may be drawn upon to expand orcontractthe band B to give it exactly the circumference required.

The mode of procedure in buildinga silo is as follows: The sections ofone of the bands B are connected together and the ends of the bandconnected by the means just described. This band is preferably set uparound a wooden centering of the exact cross-section of the silo. Thesections of one of the bands A are then connected together and the endsof the band connected by the chains, as already described.

' This band is accurately spaced from the band B by any suitable meansand adjusted to give the desired taper to the walls, as alreadydescribed. The bands A and B thus form an annular mold, and the spacebetween them is filled with cement, concrete, or any artificial stonematerial. As soon as this is done the second pair of bands A and B isset up with their lower edges fitting on top of the lower bands andwithin the strips D. It will be noticed that the lower edge of each bandA is provided with a series of pivoted clips K. These are turned downover the strips D, and thus securely-hold the sections one to another.The ends of the second pair of bands A B are of course connected in asimilar manner to the first pair of bands. The bands are held togetherby means of the hooks L, which are pivoted, preferably, on lugs securedto the lower edges of each band. Each band is also provided near itsupper edge with eyes M, with which these hooks may be engaged, as shownin Fig. 1. The space between the second pair of bands is then filled upwith cement or concrete. By this time the concrete is sufliciently hardto permit of the lower pair of bands being removed. This is done byswinging up the clips K, detaching the hooks L, and disconnecting theends of the bands. The lower bands are then readily lifted by means ofropes passed around the hooks N, which are connected with the bands neartheir upper edges. The lower bands are then placed in position on top ofthe upper bands, and the process goes on till the proper height isreached. Owing to the taper in thewalls it will be seen that-the ends ofthe outer bands gradually overlap more and more, which is of coursereadily provided for by engaging the levers G with links of the chain Fnearer to the points of attachment of the latter. Of course many changesmight be made in the details of construction of these features withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

The sectional construction of the bands is important, as silos ofdifferent diameters and difierent thicknesses may be produced by addingor taking out one or more sections. It is also important. as theapparatus is thus easily knocked down for transhipment and easily andquickly set up again. Such a centering is shown in Fig. 7 and ispreferably made in six sections, as shown, whiclimay be held within theband in any suitable manner.

VV-hat I claim as my invention is 1. In apparatus of the class describedthe combination of a bottomless annular mold formed in two parts, eachpart being formed of two independent fiexible'bands, one of the bandsbeing formed ofsections overlapped and adjustably connected so that-thelap at the upper edge ofthe ring may be made less or greater as desiredmeans connected with the band whereby its lap may be adjusted to giveits wall a vertical taper; and means whereby either edge of a band maybe engaged with one edge of the corresponding band of the other part, sothat either part may be set on top of and engaged with the other,substantially as described.

2. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a bottomlessannular mold formed in two parts, each part beingformed of twoindependent flexible bands, one of the bands beingformed of sectionsoverlapped and adjustably and detachably connected so that the lap atthe upper edge of the ring may be made less or greater as desired meansconnected with the band whereby its lap may be adjusted to give its walla vertical taper; and means whereby either edge of a band maybe engagedwith one edge of the corresponding band of the other part, so thateither partmay be set on top of and engaged with the other,substantially as described.

3. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a bottomlessannular mold formed in two parts, each part being formed of twoindependent flexible bands, one of the bands being formed of sectionsoverlapped and adjustably connected so that the lap atthe upper edge ofthe ring may be made less or greater as desired means connected Withtheband whereby its lap'may be adjusted to give its wall a vertical taper;means whereby either edge of a band may be engaged with one edge of thecorresponding band of the other part, so that either part may be set ontop of and engaged with the other; and means for contracting andexpanding each inner band after its ends have been connected,substantially as described.

4. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a bottomlessannular mold formed in two parts, each part being formed of twoindependent flexible bands, each having its ends detaehably connected toform a ring; a strip riveted to and projecting above the upper edge ofeach section of each ring; and a series of clips pivoted at the loweredge of each band whereby the lower edge of a band may be held inalinement with the upper edge of the band below it, substantially asdescribed.

5. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a bottomlessannular mold formed in two parts, each part being formed of twoindependent flexible band's, each having its ends detachably connectedto form a ring; a strip riveted to and projecting above the upper edgeof each section of each ring; a series of clips pivoted at the loweredge of each band whereby the lower edge of a band may be held inalinement with the upper edge of the band below it; a series of hookspivoted near the lower edge of each band; and a series of eyes near theupper edge of each band, substantially as described.

6. In apparatus of the class described the combination of two bottomlessannular molds, each mold being formed of two independent flexible hands;a plurality of chains connected to one end of each band; levers pivotedon the other end opposite the said chains; hooks on said levers adaptedto engage the links of the chains; latches adapted to lock the levers;and means whereby either edge of a band may be engaged with one edge ofthe corresponding band of the other part, so that either part may be seton top of and engaged with the other, substantially as described.

7. ln apparatus of the class described the combination of two bottomlessannular molds, each mold being formed of two independent flexible bands;means for detachably connecting the ends of the outer bands; latchespivoted near one end of each inner band; clips secured near the otherend of each inner band and adapted to receive the latches; means forlongitudinally adjusting one of the latches, the said latch beingnotched to engage one of the clips; and means whereby either edge of aband may be engaged with one edge of the corresponding band of the otherpart, so that either part may be set on top of and engaged with theother, substantially as described.

Toronto, May (5, i904:-

ARCHIBALD E. HODGERT. In presence of-- J OHN G. RrnoU'r, J. Enw. BIAYBEE.

